Impromptu Meet-Up

My earring haul from Akente Express

Long before Target, the only place in Denver to get Miss Jessie’s products was Akente Express on Park Avenue West, just north of downtown. 

Akente has been the one-stop shop for all things African and African-American for the past 20 years  - original artwork, African artifacts, sculptures, prints, jewelry, posters, T-shirts, designer purses, intense, oils, skincare products. Owner Ron Springer is finally calling it quits and selling his business so  he can pack up his bags and finally go visit the Motherland.

Before he could closed the doors for good, I made my annual trek to Akente for the MJ BOGO sale. I was just going to resupply on the Baby Buttercream and maybe try the Curly Meringue, when I got caught up in the moment. 

Two women were already in the shop when I entered. One of them, her hair in braids, looked at my curly fro and exclaimed that’s how she wants to do her natural hair when she takes her braids down. What did I have in it? Kinky-Curly Curling Custard, I said, somewhat sheepishly cuz KCCC isn’t sold at Akente.

What followed was a discussion on natural hair care, the differences among MJ products and how to use KCCC. While we were a talking, another woman with 3c curls came in. What did she use in her hair? KCCC again! Miss 3c admitted that only in the last year had she decided she loved her hair. Growing up she had always fought against the curl. Didn’t we all? 

Swept up in all the hair talk, I bought the Buttercream and the 8oz jar (get one free) of the Curly Meringue and earrings to go with my curly hair. Spent way more than I should have, but loved sharing my knowledge with other curlies. 

Color

I got my hair colored today. It took a lot longer than either I or my stylist Melissa thought it would. she had to lift the darker dye she had done a couple of months ago to get the lighter color to saturate. I love the end result and I know that now more than ever, my hair life will be about moisture, moisture, moisture and the occasional protein treatment.

She styled it with Ouidad Curl Quencher moisturizing styling gel _ finger combed it through and did the Ouidad "rake & shake." When I got home, I added some coconut oil. And got my husband to take my picture.

Good hair day

Having a good hair day today. Not sure what is going on here. For the first time in a long time, I went to sleep without retwisting my hair. Let it get misted in the shower, smoothed some of KC Gloss Pomade and some coconut oil, shook it and left it alone. I put KCCC in it on Sunday.

In other news: I'm watching a What Not to Wear rerun _ the Yorine Series. This is the 24-year-old nutritionist who wears scrubs all the time and a headscarf. She has her hair in braids. When they take them down, her hair is past her shoulders. Then they give her a RELAXER and Nick proceeds to chop off all her hair. I almost cried when I first saw it.